Hope era ends at Purdue

Attendance forces athletic director to fire football coach

12:19 AM,
Nov. 26, 2012

Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke takes questions from the media after introducing Patrick Higgins as interim head football coach during a press conference Sunday. Higgins replaces Danny Hope, who was fired earlier Sunday afternoon after coaching the Boilermakers for the past four years. Burke said the decision to fire Hope was gut-wrenching.

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Morgan Burke is prepared to ante up financially. ¶ He has to. ¶ Purdue's athletic director no longer can be unwilling to spend to lure a top-notch football coach. Whether Burke gets his top choice remains to be seen, but the decision to fire Danny Hope after four seasons now requires a solid financial commitment. ¶ "We're prepared to compete," Burke said Sunday night, announcing Hope's dismissal after four seasons and a 22-27 record. "We know in the Big Ten and nationally what you have to do to compete. We're prepared to do that."